'Bachelor' Marriages Are Far From Normal

Even though The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise are reality shows, what we watch is far from any typical person's "reality." Yes, I know that a lot of real couples have formed and have lasted beyond filming, but the truth is that Bachelor marriages are way different than regular ones. There are so many obstacles and perks that couples who got engaged on reality television have in their lives that us normal folk will never have to deal with.

Even when the shows finish airing and the pairs adjust to real life, it's still not at all like anything you would experience if you met someone and got married completely devoid of a camera crew. A big part of this lies in the fact that these unions that are formed on television become products of public consumption. No matter how private a Bachelor couple chooses to be after the show, there are still going to be millions of fans who care about what the two of them are up to. Aside from the lack of privacy, a lot of the differences between marriages that are rooted in the Bachelor franchise and regular ones really just comes down to a list of perks — at least for the most part.

Here are some of the ways that Bachelor marriages are way different than normal ones.

1. They Begin On TV

Of course, I have to include this most basic fact of Bachelor marriages: These couples very first impression of each other were caught by reality TV cameras. The first several weeks of their relationship was in front of the camera crew — minus the private time in the Fantasy Suite, obviously.

2. They Get Married On TV

The Bachelor couples that actually last long enough to make it to marriage often tie the knot on TV. This means that one of the most special days of their lives includes millions of viewers watching the festivities and commenting on social media.

3. They Have Way Higher Wedding Budgets

The couples who choose to have their weddings on TV have them produced just like the show, which means that there's plenty of money to make it the most amazing wedding.

4. They Have To Invite Strangers To Their Wedding

I know that a lot of Bachelor alumni know each other via social media, but there's no real life comparison to inviting people from a season of a TV show that happened a decade before yours to your wedding.

5. They Have Fans Who Are Very Invested In Their Marriage

Like the rest of us, Bachelor couples have friends and family who support their marriage, but aside from that they also have a lot of fans who are constantly checking up on them via social media. They have a lot of outside pressure to make their marriage work.

6. They Can Profit Off Of Their Marriage

Bachelor fans love happy couples, which means that these happily married people can use their Instagram pages to promote products. They can also get paid for appearances and get book deals.

7. They Have A Pressure To Update The Fandom

Obviously, every couple has the right to be as open or private as they want about their personal lives, but with a lot of viewers checking their social media pages every day, the married pairs from The Bachelor must feel a great pressure to post a lot about what they're up to and how happy they are together.

8. They Join An Elite Group Of Bachelor Success Stories

The relationships that actually last beyond the show and end up as marriages are few and far between. It's actually a pretty big deal that they are a part of such a unique group. In my head, they're all a part of some secret group text.

When it comes down to it, love is love, but for Bachelor couples, there is still a unique set of challenges and perks that come with being a part of a Bachelor marriage.

Images: ABC (3)